Hyuuga Lore
History The thick, blinding fog that persisted in Balance Country made it the ideal hunting ground for those who did not have to rely on sight to find and seize their prey. The elite of the Inuzuka tribe had been hunting in these lands with ease for centuries. They even utilized it as a place to hide their kin during the war between Men and Beasts. Those that resided within Balance Country did so as goat herders high in the mountains, living in caves, tending to their livestock out of reach of the Inuzuka and the other skilled hunters of the time. The featureless plains of Balance were an invisible playground for predators, and it was a treacherous place for anyone who found themselves enwreathed in the unforgiving fog. Passage through the area was avoided at all costs. However, the goat herders had long observed a small group of monks who could enter, traverse and survive the fog and the hunters within it easily. It was as if they could see through the infinite grey or as if something was defending them. The herders speculated, but remained at their high ground, not wishing to risk attempts to follow the monks. After many years, it is believed that some of those goat herders became afflicted with a genetic defect, born without pupils, as their eyes were milky white. Growing up, they would speak of how they could see the world differently and, to the shock of those without their visual trait, they began to descend the mountains, bringing their flocks closer to the feared fog. Some even entered the fog, disappearing and emerging once again, having allowed their livestock to feed on the more desirable and abundant grass that grew across the plains. Their flocks now flourished, despite centuries of having perfected their lifestyle in the mountains, as the plains were better suited for grazing. With their new-found sight, they could see into the fog and evade the predators that lied in wait within. Much like the mysterious monks had done before them, they believed it was a gift from a higher power. A unique ability to present them a better chance at life in the mountains They called this visual ability the All-Seeing White Eye. The primitive Byakugan was misunderstood but used to survive. The goat herders knew they could see vast distances and everything living within it, but they weren’t aware of what exactly they were looking at. The eye technique became more prevalent, as it was passed to the children of those that had first been afflicted with the defect. Those that missed out on this gift began dwindling in numbers, for their flocks were not as impressive as the Byakugan users, and some of the last had abandoned their flocks to become hunters. They had a knowledge of the mountains that other hunters did not and began to target the remaining herders on the peaks. Those without the Byakugan who did not perish would swiftly leave the area, leaving the rest of their allies to compete with the hunters that had always plagued Balance Country. After the death of Sakai and Raishimaru, the birth of Ninjutsu echoed across the world and the fittest Byakugan users at the time began to grasp the very basics of chakra, but more importantly that their unique ability grew stronger in the kin of two users. The Byakugan families began residing in the plains of foggy Balance Country without fear, easily remaining safe from the hunters that would do them harm. They began arranging marriages amongst themselves to ensure the development and protection of the Kekkei Genkai, as they supported each other as if they represented one family. Their research into the Chakra System allowed them to comprehend how Tenketsu were the pressure points of this system and the basis of how chakra could be expelled from the body to form Jutsu. Because of their ability to see the chakra points of any living creature, they learned how to expel it from any of these points and also how to target them in combat. This fighting style was called the Gentle Fist and provided the Byakugan families with an edge over the elite Inuzuka. The families agreed to take Balance Country for themselves as one large clan, calling themselves the Hyuuga. Going to war with the Inuzuka, who were not ready to surrender this prime and familiar hunting ground, the two clans battled unseen in the impenetrable fog for many years to come. The Inuzuka had already perfected their fighting style with their Ninken, but it was slowly becoming futile against the Hyuuga, who could see through their attacks and knew how to fight efficiently targeting the Tenketsu with Juken. Although the Gentle Fist was still in its earliest form, this war for Balance Country allowed the Hyuuga to swiftly advance their style and thrust the Inuzuka from the plains and back into Herb Country after a decade. The war had led to the fog lifting from Balance, and now an intermittent mist passes through the plains daily. The Hyuuga finally governed the land that they had called home for centuries, and they established the city of Tao in its centre. They had become followers of the growing Seikatsu religion, erecting temples within their city to honour this belief. It is considered that the clan’s acceptance of Seikatsu paved the way for it to become the most prevailing religion in the world. Some Hyuuga even dedicated their lives to the cause, leaving Balance Country to lead temples in other parts of the world. The once goat herders were now profoundly religious and the only thing they held in higher regard to Seikatsu was their Byakugan and its development. The clan became almost obsessed with keeping their blood pure, marrying solely among themselves and exiling any from the main family that would not honour their dedication to purity. One of the first Hyuuga elders confronted what some would deem an impossible decision, as he discovered his only son had fallen for a Senju mistress from Forest Country. The boy refused to leave his lover and had planned to wed her, but overcome with shame and fear with exile, the Hyuuga elder murdered the son and his sweetheart. The story is frequently denied by those in the clan as rumours and lies, but it serves as an example for those outside the clan to understand the lengths the Hyuuga would go to honour their clan and Byakugan. Through time, the city of Tao had become a desired resting spot for travellers, many inns and restaurants had emerged between the temples to house them and provide a substantial, steady income for the clan. As travellers came to rely on the city, the Hyuuga increased prices and began imposing tariffs on those that exploited their land for transportation. Gradually, they were becoming the richest clan on the main continent. As Seikatsu rose in popularity in Balance Country and beyond, the Senju and Nara worked hard to preserve their belief in Kodama within Forest Country. Many followers of the newer religion began to storm through the forest, destroying shrines of the old and disrupting those in prayer. The Nara feared they would soon become targets of the Seikatsu radicals, as they were avid followers of Kodama, and so approached their Hyuuga neighbours. They implored the monks to call off the attacks, knowing the Hyuuga exercised significant influence on the religion. Insulted that the Nara would accuse them of being involved in the attacks, the Hyuuga returned the offence as they deemed the Nara paranoid. If their belief in the Kodama teachings of the Mother were so pure, then the Mother would surely preserve their forest. The Hyuuga turned their backs on the Nara and allowed Seikatsu followers to cross into Forest Country through its border with Balance Country unchallenged. Left with few options and angered with their neighbours, the Nara closed the border, placing guard patrols round the clock. The Senju were unpleased about the decision but agreed with the Nara that it was necessary to protect their lands, and aided to erect a massive wooden wall along the border. Many minor battles happened along this boundary, as the Hyuuga sought to reverse the decision of the Nara and Senju. The sealed border was affecting the Hyuuga’s trade routes from the west of the continent, and they were losing money. Nevertheless, the Forest Country clans maintained their ground, disarming any that would attempt to enter their lands from Balance Country. The Hyuuga pursued other avenues of developing their economy and utilised alternative trade routes. They approached the Akimichi to operate their western ports to transport goods to the west of the continent and then relied on this partnership to secure their goods to the Eastern Sea. This new relationship included the Kaguya and the cities of Ichiba and Raimei, proving to be extremely lucrative for everyone involved. At the time, the Uzumaki had become world-famous with their Great Library in Akimono, rapidly rising in rapport with the leaders of the world. The Hyuuga were unhappy about this and began to spread awful and baseless rumours about Whirlpool and its residing clan. They had initiated their own pursuit for knowledge and wanted to deter those that sought the Uzumaki to sell their new information. Instead, they made sure the education landed in their hands and their records. The Hyuuga believed an extensive knowledge of the world would help to deliver them closer to understanding the universe and chakra. It was something that their belief in Seikatsu directed them in pursuit of, and it caused them to believe the motivations of the Uzumaki and their library were immoral, as the latter notoriously rejected religion. The Uzumaki began working against the Hyuuga, blocking their trade routes across the Eastern Sea with their established navy until the Hyuuga would stop spreading lies about them, and attempted many times to reach a treaty with the clan. Alas, any attempts were locked in a hard rivalry for decades, as both clans raced to advance their knowledge. As the Kaguya Alliance pushed into Forest Country waging war on the Senju, the Hyuuga agreed to keep the Nara held in the north of Forest Country. They helped the Kaguya to lock the clan in place and stop the Nara Queen from getting involved in the war. They did not harm the Nara, offering themselves as a protective barrier to the battleground in the rest of Forest Country, but the Queen of the Nara knew better. She knew the Hyuuga were holding her people prisoner and put up a vigorous resistance against them. Regrettably for the Nara, it was exceedingly easier for the Hyuuga to keep them trapped in the northern territory than it was for them to break out. Soon, communication from the external world stopped as the Hyuuga and Kaguya held both sides of the Nara. In the North, the Akimichi identified what was happening to their neighbours and infringed on their alliance with the monks to offer their services to the Nara. The Hyuuga were enraged but merely kept the Akimichi locked in the northern territory with the Nara, preventing both clans out of the main conflict. Both the Akimichi and Nara suffered during the war, as food and resources were scarce with how the Hyuuga limited importing goods into the northern territory. What little they did have they shared between two large clans, one of which was famous for a tremendous appetite. As the numbers of wounded on both sides of the battlefield began to increase, the newly arrived Arumaze accomplished what they could to aid and heal, but their lives were at risk working in open combat. The Hyuuga began offering freeboard to the Arumaze in Tao and encouraged both sides of the war to bring their injured to Balance Country, declaring it a neutral, no-combat zone. The Kaguya, Senju, Uchiha and Uzumaki brought their shinobi to the Arumaze in the temples of Tao during the full duration of the war past this point. Shinobi from both alliances were being healed beside each other in peace and sent back into the battlefield as enemies once more. Despite the actions of the Hyuuga against the Nara Queen, the Senju Alliance deemed the clan to be a neutral party and did not invade their lands. Therefore, despite the lengthy bloodshed across the border and the numerous injured in medical camps across the country, Balance Country continued life as normal. Prayers at the temples remained, trade continued as much as it could, and the Hyuuga elders grew close with Ikari Aburame who was imparting knowledge of his people’s advancements in technology. When the war concluded and the Senju were victorious, the Hyuuga saw no sense in upholding their deal with the Kaguya regarding the Nara Queen. There was no chance for the Nara exiles to come close to the area now, and the Akimichi would be sure to flatten any who dared harm their allies. The Hyuuga elders set up talks with the Akimichi and Nara, agreeing a buffer zone between the now dramatically smaller Forest Country and Balance Country would be controlled by the Akimichi, forming part of Restaurant Country. This was a gesture of goodwill to assure the Nara they had meant them no harm and wanted to reinforce bonds between the three clans. The Akimichi approved of this deal and reaffirmed their previous agreement to allow trade through their western ports. When Ikari Aburame was assassinated and replaced by the Jinchuriki Mumei, the Hyuuga rushed to present their allegiance to the new Queen, praising her and offering small contributions to the town of Hachitochi. The Hyuuga worked hard to maintain a symbiotic relationship with the Aburame over the years, and when Rain Village was built they retained a significant presence from the beginning in the form of Seikatsu Temples. Many Hyuuga elders sat in governing seats of the modern village, securing cheaper rates on energy for Balance Country and establishing an early allegiance between Balance Country and Rain Village. Category:Lore